---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing is when you're... well-enough…"
description: "\"The thing is when you're... well-enough known, you get asked to speak places, and they don't really think about whether or not you're qualified. They j..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/028/alan-alda-1859_about_the-thing-is-when-you-re-well-enough-kno_453540.jpg"
---

#  The thing is when you're... well-enough known, you get…

![“The thing is when you're... well-enough known, you get asked to speak places, and they don't really think about whether or not you're qualified. They just want somebody that will be a drawing card for the audience. So it's up to you to decide whether or not it's foolish to get up and speak to…” quote by Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/028/alan-alda-1859_about_the-thing-is-when-you-re-well-enough-kno_453540.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/028/alan-alda-1859_about_the-thing-is-when-you-re-well-enough-kno_453540.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/028/alan-alda-1859_about_the-thing-is-when-you-re-well-enough-kno_453540.jpg)

> “The thing is when you're... well-enough known, you get asked to speak places, and they don't really think about whether or not you're qualified. They just want somebody that will be a drawing card for the audience. So it's up to you to decide whether or not it's foolish to get up and speak to these people.”

[Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Being invited to speak often hinges on fame rather than expertise, forcing a choice between leveraging visibility and maintaining credibility.

**In simple terms:** Fame can outweigh qualifications when speaking.

Key Takeaway

We how the value of visibility versus expertise.

Themes

celebrity public speaking credibility career decisions

Mood

anxious reflective

Type

advice motivational

When to use this quote

- conference panels
- media appearances
- industry events
- networking
- public debates

Key Concepts

branding audience perception authenticity

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you accept speaking gigs for exposure?
- How do you assess your expertise before speaking?

A Different Perspective

Popularity may lead to misaligned expectations and potential backlash.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

## Related quotes

> [Until you've had depression I don't think you're qualified to talk about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-boycott/until-you-ve-had-depression-i-don-t-think-you-re-qualified-to-talk/)

[Geoffrey Boycott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-boycott/)

> [Frankly, if I had paid more than are legally due I don't think I'd be qualified to become president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/frankly-if-i-had-paid-more-than-are-legally-due-i-don-t-think-i-d-be/)

[Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/)

> [I don't think I'm qualified to answer questions about happiness. But I guess I'd say that I don't think you ever get to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-greenwell/i-don-t-think-i-m-qualified-to-answer-questions-about-happiness-but-i/)

[Garth Greenwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-greenwell/)

> [You can disagree with somebody and still think they're qualified.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-capuano/you-can-disagree-with-somebody-and-still-think-they-re-qualified/)

[Michael Capuano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-capuano/)

> [I don't want to tell people what to think. I'm the least qualified person in the world for that. If I'd go around pretending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-don-t-want-to-tell-people-what-to-think-i-m-the-least-qualified/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [For most jobs, especially those in the digital economy, there is no objective standard for being 'qualified.' If you and the team you're working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gansky/for-most-jobs-especially-those-in-the-digital-economy-there-is-no/)

[Lisa Gansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gansky/)

> [My job as an actor is to just tell the story as best I can from my character's point of view and let the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-stan/my-job-as-an-actor-is-to-just-tell-the-story-as-best-i-can-from-my/)

[Sebastian Stan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-stan/)

> [I don't need to make an announcement about who I'm dating. It's up to me to decide when and what I want to share…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shibani-dandekar/i-don-t-need-to-make-an-announcement-about-who-i-m-dating-it-s-up-to/)

[Shibani Dandekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shibani-dandekar/)

> [In the stand-up comedy top, there's room for everyone - if you're good, there's room for everyone. You'll put on your own show -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jefferies/in-the-stand-up-comedy-top-there-s-room-for-everyone-if-you-re-good/)

[Jim Jefferies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jefferies/)

> [The only two TV shows I saw do that, where they don't warm them up and you can really bomb, was Saturday Night Live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/the-only-two-tv-shows-i-saw-do-that-where-they-don-t-warm-them-up-and/)

[Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/)

> [Whether the work that I do shall succeed or achieve critical acclaim is for the audience to decide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amitabh-bachchan/whether-the-work-that-i-do-shall-succeed-or-achieve-critical-acclaim/)

[Amitabh Bachchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amitabh-bachchan/)

> [If I write a cop show, it's not up to me to decide how different it is from 'Law &amp; Order.' I had screenwriters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/if-i-write-a-cop-show-it-s-not-up-to-me-to-decide-how-different-it-is/)

[Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/)

> [As a writer I want everybody to get a chance to voice their opinions. If each character thinks that they're telling the truth, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-lee/as-a-writer-i-want-everybody-to-get-a-chance-to-voice-their-opinions/)

[Spike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-lee/)

> [I always put in my 100 percent. Once the film is over, I look at my next, because then it's up to the audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-teja/i-always-put-in-my-100-percent-once-the-film-is-over-i-look-at-my/)

[Ravi Teja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-teja/)

> [I have always maintained that the audience should take a call on this. Its up to them to decide whether they want to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fahadh-faasil/i-have-always-maintained-that-the-audience-should-take-a-call-on-this/)

[Fahadh Faasil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fahadh-faasil/)

## More by Alan Alda

> [On the stage, the characters express themselves more through words than images. So the arguments of the characters and the tension between characters -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/on-the-stage-the-characters-express-themselves-more-through-words/)

[Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/)

> [We need to be more conversant with it because science is in our lives. It's in everything. It's in the food we eat. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/we-need-to-be-more-conversant-with-it-because-science-is-in-our-lives/)

[Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/)

> [When I studied how to think in school, I was taught that the first rule of logic was that a thing cannot both be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/when-i-studied-how-to-think-in-school-i-was-taught-that-the-first/)

[Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/)

> [I was brought up as a Catholic, and I'm no longer a Catholic. I don't talk about my beliefs too much in public probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/i-was-brought-up-as-a-catholic-and-i-m-no-longer-a-catholic-i-don-t/)

[Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/)

> [life is meaningless unless you bring meaning to it; ... it is up to us to create our own existence. Unless you do something,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/life-is-meaningless-unless-you-bring-meaning-to-it-it-is-up-to-us-to/)

[Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/)

> [“My mother didn't try to stab my father until I was six.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/my-mother-didn-t-try-to-stab-my-father-until-i-was-six/)

[Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/)

> [Originality is unexplored territory. You get there by carrying a canoe - you can't take a taxi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/originality-is-unexplored-territory-you-get-there-by-carrying-a-canoe/)

[Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/)

> [It's always better to be wise than to be smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/it-s-always-better-to-be-wise-than-to-be-smart/)

[Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/)

> [M\*A\*S\*H' was a collection of people, in front of and behind the cameras, that really clicked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/m-a-s-h-was-a-collection-of-people-in-front-of-and-behind-the-cameras/)

[Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/)

> [“Be brave enough to live creatively. The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/be-brave-enough-to-live-creatively-the-creative-is-the-place-where-no/)

[Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/)

> [To do a musical takes a tremendous amount of energy because you have to act and sing at the same time. And everything has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/to-do-a-musical-takes-a-tremendous-amount-of-energy-because-you-have/)

[Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/)

> [Be brave enough to live creatively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/be-brave-enough-to-live-creatively/)

[Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/)

> [It's better to be wise than to be smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/it-s-better-to-be-wise-than-to-be-smart/)

[Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/)

> [“You can't get there by bus, only by hard work, risking, and by not quite knowing what you're doing. What you'll discover will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/you-can-t-get-there-by-bus-only-by-hard-work-risking-and-by-not-quite/)

[Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/)

> [I used to read science fiction a lot, and I still like science fiction when it is a model of how we really are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/i-used-to-read-science-fiction-a-lot-and-i-still-like-science-fiction/)

[Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/)

[Explore all 203 Alan Alda quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/)

## More About quotes

> [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/)

[Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/)

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/)

[Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/)

> [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/)

[Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/)

> [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/)

[Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/)

> [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/)

[Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/)

> [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/)

[Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/)

> [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/)

[Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/)

> [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/)

[Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/)

> [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/)

[Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/)

> [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/)

[Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/)

> [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/)

[Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/)

> [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/)

[John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/)

> [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/)

[Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/)

Browse all 26,122 About quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The thing is when you're... well-enough known, you get asked to speak places, and they don't really think about whether or not you're qualified. They just want somebody that will be a drawing card for the audience. So it's up to you to decide whether or not it's foolish to get up and speak to these people.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Alan Alda"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/the-thing-is-when-you-re-well-enough-known-you-get-asked-to-speak/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "About"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/the-thing-is-when-you-re-well-enough-known-you-get-asked-to-speak/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/028/alan-alda-1859_about_the-thing-is-when-you-re-well-enough-kno_453540.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/028/alan-alda-1859_about_the-thing-is-when-you-re-well-enough-kno_453540.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/028/alan-alda-1859_about_the-thing-is-when-you-re-well-enough-kno_453540.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The thing is when you're... well-enough known, you get asked to speak places, and they don't really think…” — Alan Alda",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Alan Alda",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The thing is when you're... well-enough...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/the-thing-is-when-you-re-well-enough-known-you-get-asked-to-speak/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/the-thing-is-when-you-re-well-enough-known-you-get-asked-to-speak/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
